Today, CBI Northern Ireland issued a statement about the impact of ongoing flag protests on local businesses.

Nigel Smyth, CBI Northern Ireland Director said: “The violence and disruptive actions of those involved in the street protests is having a detrimental impact on local businesses, as well as damaging prospective tourism and investment for the year ahead.

"There is now a very real risk of job losses as the very livelihood of the business owners and staff in the communities affected is threatened.

"We are already aware of investors who have lost interest in Northern Ireland because of these disruptions.

“2013 has the potential to be a great year in Northern Ireland with the World Fire & Police Games, UK City of Culture in Derry and the G8 Summit already scheduled to take place.

"The eyes of the world are now on Northern Ireland, and we have grave concerns about the damage these violent protests are doing in our communities, the negative images being portrayed around the world and the impact this will have on deterring visitors from attending these events.

“2012 was billed as ‘our time, our place’. But there is no time and no place for the violent and threatening behaviours we are currently seeing on our streets.

"Positive action is needed from all quarters and serious discussion is required between political parties and those at community level to resolve all on-going issues, and put an end to the street disturbances.”

Note to Editors

The CBI is the UK's leading business organisation, speaking for some 240,000 businesses that together employ around a third of the private sector workforce. With offices across the UK as well as representation in Brussels, Washington, Beijing and Delhi, the CBI communicates the British business voice around the world.